GPS (Global Positioning System) and GLONASS (Global Orbiting NAvigation Satellite System) satellite navigation systems, jointly forming the base for a global satellite navigation system GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), allow a multitude of practical applications, the most important of which are navigation systems for shipping, aviation and terrestrial traffic. For an introduction to the technology and applications of satellite navigation, see "Scientific American", February 1996, pp. 32 to 38.
In addition to the present position of a vehicle, which is obtained by a satellite localization device, digitized maps are required for vehicle navigation, which may be linked to additional information, such as present traffic conditions, yellow pages information or a hotel guide. Based on the present vehicle position and a required target position, a suitable route may be calculated, for example in a computer, and communicated to the driver optically and acoustically. The electronic map may either be located on data carriers in the vehicle itself or in a control center that is in radio contact with the vehicle and where calculation of a route is effected.
Electronic maps for vehicle navigation systems originate from national ordnance survey maps, supplementary conventional maps and Differential-GPS/GLONASS surveys. The achievable local resolution corresponds well with the local resolution of present GPS receivers for the mass market. A disadvantage of the said electronic maps is the fact that they are short-lived, due to GPS receivers of a higher resolution being introduced to the market, making even better map material desirable, or due to more accurate basic data, i.e. aerial photographs, being available.
An additional major disadvantage of electronic map material generated in the conventional way lies in the fact that the only land-based applications of major economic importance are applications for vehicles. Although some useful applications have been proposed in this field, in addition to the above navigation system for example systems for fleet management, automatic emergency calls and anti-theft systems, requirements of these systems in map material vary greatly. Therefore, in most cases, an electronic map is optimized for one of this systems only. When considering in addition the said risk that map material ages quickly, many a project which is useful to the public, which could be easily realized technically, will often be doomed due to an unacceptable cost-to-performance ratio.
German Patent 195 26 291 discloses a method for collection and linking of positional data obtained by satellite localization and other data, wherein at least one vehicle travels through substantially all roads of one or several continuous areas, with a satellite localization device continuously and automatically gathering positional data relating to the actual position of each vehicle. Moreover, a camera is used for taking pictures of traffic signs.
From German Patent Application 37 44 532 it is known to enter start and target positions by entering street identifications and house numbers in a navigation system. From German Patent Application 195 05 487 and Japanese Patent Applications 09 033 270 and 09 033 271 (Abstracts) it is known to use stored and displayed image informations as an additional assistance for navigation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for collection and linking of positional data from satellite localization and other data, not only allowing very accurate vehicle navigation systems, useful in the long term, but also many other applications not limited to vehicles.
A further object of the present invention is to employ this method in generation of a database for a vehicle guidance system, a fleet management system, an automatic vehicle emergency call system, a vehicle anti-theft system or for a system for simulation and/or visualization of real environments.